According to the Department, the young guy from the Sekhukkhune District was diagnosed with ameloblastoma, which is an extremely uncommon kind of tumor that almost often forms in the jaw region close to the molars.

During the course of his lengthy battle with the condition, the young man has been treated by a variety of physicians at a number of hospitals, and he has even quit attending school.

Dr. Itani Dikgale, a specialist in maxillofacial and face surgery in Limpopo, was in charge of the procedure.

On Thursday, a nine-hour operation was performed on the patient, during which a tumor mass weighing 2.5 kilograms was removed from the patient’s jaw, and the patient’s mandible was repaired using a titanium plate.

On Friday, the patient was seen by Dr. Phophi Ramathuba, who is the MEC for Health in the province government. The patient is making progress in the intensive care unit.

“This is an intervention that will change your life. The young guy has successfully regained the team’s faith and confidence. We cannot conceive of a scenario in which a 17-year-old is supposed to carry a bulk on his chin that is similar to that of a full-term baby and yet behave in the same manner as any other teenage guy.

The Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) said, “That is the reason why we will continue to appreciate our clinicians who go beyond their call of duty to ensure that our people receive the best services because in our view, rural healthcare is the most important.”